subject: Get Cost Effective Power Supply Using A Capacitor Bank [print this page] Get Cost Effective Power Supply Using A Capacitor Bank
Capacitors are grouped together to counteract some characteristics that are undesirable like power factor lag in AC power supplies. In DC power supplies stored energy and the ripple current capacity can be improved using capacitor banks. Capacitors are used in singly in electronic components to store electrical energy.
We can see dissipation of energy because of current leakage in capacitors after a certain time. Therefore we see that the energy stored may not be indefinitely maintained. It is not so in the batteries where a continuous supply of current is got. But the use of batteries and capacitors is quite different.
Capacitors consist of two conductors that are separated by an insulating material or dielectric. When an electrical current is passed through the conductor pair, a static electric field develops in the dielectric which represents the stored energy. Unlike batteries, this stored energy is not maintained indefinitely, as the dielectric allows for a certain amount of current leakage which results in the gradual dissipation of the stored energy.
Each capacitor has a fixed value of capacitance and it allows the alternating current to pass smoothly while direct current is restricted. Its use is found largely in resonant circuits and radio tuning. Hence these characteristics allow capacitors to be grouped for use and it will absorb the AC power supply faults and corrects the anomalies.
Heavy industries that have electrical motors and transformers as their components need an efficient power supply in place. Otherwise the losses will cripple the industry indefinitely. The capacitor bank used corrects this anomaly and it is the most cost effective way to combat the power lag in factories using large machines. The operation of these machines is rendered in an efficient way.
However precaution should be maintained when a capacitor bank has been installed in a factory for a cost effective power supply. The energy that is stored in this bank if discharged incorrectly can be the cause of electric shocks to the surrounding people or they may even get burns. The burnt out capacitors need to be correctly disposed otherwise there are chances of they being exploded causing danger all around. Taking care when handling capacitor banks can prevent such accidents and will be safe for use in a place where there is human presence.
Another plus point in their favor is they are easy to maintain and are less expensive than other modes of power supply of the same capacity. The type of capacitor bank is chosen based on your needs whether you need an increased voltage or increased capacitance. Then the capacitors are arranged in series or parallel according to its use.
